Permaculture is the art and science of creating community ecosystems in which plants, animals, and people interact to produce a fecund, ecologically sound perennial system that can support itself indefinitely. In permaculture design, we strive to steward the land as well as meet our own needs on-site.

By observing natural systems, permaculture teaches us that we can co-create our sustainable eco-structures. We are so blessed to have a beautiful forest at the Wild Thyme Farm.

The forest provides a fantastic example of how to build soil to support plant life. In a forest, plants grow together to support each other. The diversity of native plants in the forest provides a framework for creating low-maintenance gardens that provide for our needs. We model the forest to design our landscapes.

Analog Forestry, or 'Food Forests,' are terms to describe intentional gardens that mimic the examples found in the native forest. We create polycultures of useful plants that beneficially interact to create a balanced system. These plant communities are known as 'guilds'. Each plant in a guild provides a useful function to the plant community. Ground cover plants prevent weeds and erosion. The term 'Dynamic Accumulators' are plants that add nutrients to the soil for other plants in the system. Insectary plants attract beneficial insects for pollination in the garden. Aromatic plants discourage pests.

Naturally, the forest provides a home for many species of wildlife who contribute to the ecosystem. Over the years at the Wild Thyme Farm, we have incorporated many animals into our intentional systems at the farm. Animals are an important part of building soil fertility on-site.

At Wild Thyme Farm, we value diversity. We have a brilliant collection of edible and useful plants from around the world growing in our landscape. We invite you to learn about these plants by looking over our species index. Perhaps the recipes included here will tantalize your palate and encourage you to steward your own landscape. Our nursery is under development, so contact Marisha Auerbach if you find a plant on our list that you want to incorporate into your gardens. We have found that the diversity in our polyculture ecosystems mirrors the relationships in the forest for creating a low-maintenance garden that provides for our needs.

To learn more about permaculture, click here for frequently requested handouts.